Their Secret
by mockingjay-x
Summary: She wasn't quite sure when it started, the two of them spending time together in the library. Or even Draco actually talking to her for that matter. It just seemed to happen. Post-War. Dramione.


**So, it's been forever since I've written anything, let alone actually posted it on here. This has been sitting on my laptop for ages and occasionally I go back and tweak a bit of it slightly. But I've decided that no matter how much tweaking I do, it's not going to get any better. I'm still not completely happy with it, but here you go. It's set during their 'Eighth year', with a few minor changes, such as the fact that Harry and Ron are back at Hogwarts too.**

 **I'm trying to get back into writing and Dramione seems to be the one that's sucking me back in. (I apologise if you've had notifications of me liking fics you wrote two years ago, I'm literally spending my free time reading Dramione.) I have another potential one-shot/two-shot in the works, however that does require much more tweaking than this one ever did.**

 **Anyway, as like always, I don't own anything, that's all down to J.K. Rowling. Any errors are my own.**

* * *

She was trying to study, but someone was making that incredibly difficult for her. She had found a nice little area in the library that no one ever went and settled down on the floor against the wall with her books, quill and parchment surrounding her so that she could spend the afternoon studying. Yet a certain male was making it impossible for her to concentrate on anything. She was almost certain that if someone was to tell her to write her name, she'd struggle.

It wasn't as though he was doing anything, really. He was sat beside her on the floor, his fingertips running up and down her back as he sat there in silence. It felt nice, having him there, but at the same time it was distracting. Hoping he'd stop, she reached for his hand and tugged it away from her back, yet keeping it gripped firmly in her own hand. His chuckle made her roll her eyes before she turned around and glared at the male in question.

"What's so funny?" The brunette demanded, her eyes fixated on his.

"It took you longer than I expected to move it away." His response was cocky as was the smirk on his face.

"If you're going to act like that, you can leave me alone. Don't you have potions work to do too?"

"I've got ages until it's due, don't worry."

Leaning into him slightly, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she spoke once more, this time more softly. "If you need help, I can help you. We could study together."

"Not happening. You're too distracting."

"And you're not?" With her words, Hermione felt herself being pulled against him even more so she was leaning into his side. "Draco."

"Hermione." He countered, smirking at her a little.

"I have homework and you're not helping me get it finished."

"Five minutes, then I'll leave you be."

"No, stay. We can work together. These are the only moments we have and I don't want to give them up." Leaning in, she pressed her lips softly to his cheek before pulling away from him, moving slightly so there was a bit of space between the two of them. "As soon as I've finished this, I have the rest of the afternoon free and we can just relax."

Letting out a sigh, the blonde relented and nodded his head, taking his turn to kiss her cheek softly. "I'll go and find something to read and leave you in peace for a bit. I'll come back, don't worry."

Giving him a small smile and nod, she watched as he stood up and walk away from her before turning her attention back to the work in front of her. These moments in the library with him were undoubtedly her favourite. She loved her friends and spending time with them, but her relationship, or whatever this was with Draco, was something she never wanted to end. They kept things quiet, just the two of them knowing about it. She knew the time would come when they had to tell people, but for the time being, no one else needed to know.

It was another 15 minutes before Draco returned with a couple of books in his hands, just as Hermione was putting away her books and belongings into her bag. The moment the blonde sat down beside her, she leaned into him immediately and took his hand as his arm draped around her shoulder, pressing her lips to his fingers. "What books did you choose?"

Picking the books from the floor beside him, he held up the first to show her. "I thought you'd like something from the muggle section."

Tilting her head back to look up at him, a soft smile graced her lips and she couldn't help but admire him for choosing something like that. He wasn't the Draco everyone believed him to be, not with her. "And the other?"

"Nothing much. I just thought you might like it." He murmured, showing her the other book he had retrieved.

"Maybe we can work our way through both." Hermione replied softly, letting her head fall to his shoulder as she watched him place the second book down and open the first.

She wasn't quite sure when it started, the two of them spending time together in the library. Or even Draco actually talking to her for that matter. It just seemed to happen. He had sat near her one day when they had been working on some homework and from then on, they always seemed to be in the library at the same time. Gradually, they had began to talk a little, nothing too much, but enough.

When Hermione would get up and leave him to go and read in the corner she was currently in, he had followed her one day and asked her what she was reading. From then on, he had joined her. Usually they read different books, but as they became closer to one another, they started to read the same book together.

Neither of them had realised that their friendship had been growing into a relationship until one day when Draco had been about to get up to leave for Quidditch practice when he leaned towards her and kissed her softly on the lips. It had been soft, chaste, nothing too much. But honestly, it felt incredible. He had murmured a quick goodbye before getting up and leaving her alone in the library.

The next time they met, Hermione had expected things to be awkward, but he had just sat closer to her as they done their homework, his hand resting on her thigh. They hadn't spoken, but it had been his way of assuring her that he was there.

Things had gradually developed between the two of them, but they only ever met at the library. It was their sanctuary. Ron only ever went in there when he needed to, the same with Harry really. As for Draco's friends, she was almost certain they didn't even know where the library was.

Hermione didn't want to deal with the criticising looks from everyone about their relationship and although Draco hadn't said it out loud, she knew he felt the same. For the time being, spending time together just like this was good enough for her. If things had been different, if he wasn't in Slytherin and there hadn't already been so much animosity between them in the past, then maybe it would be easier to tell people.

As the brunette snuggled into his side a little more, she felt his lips pressing against the top of her head causing her to smile as she turned the page in the book. They were still learning things about one another, and honestly, Hermione had a feeling that they would be for a long time, but she loved that part of their relationship.

Everyone knew about the Malfoy family, about their heritage, but it was what the Malfoy family chose to share with everyone. She had learned that they were very selective in what they let people know about them and she just found herself fortunate enough to be one of those people who Draco opened up to.

Ever since the war, his family were much more selective over who they allowed into their close circle of friends and honestly, it surprised Hermione that they had changed as much as they had. She knew Draco had told his parents about what the two of them had going on and they had been extremely forthcoming about it. They had suggested that if she wasn't going home for Christmas, she was more than welcome to spend time at the Malfoy Manor, but she was hesitant to accept their offer.

It wasn't them that made her hesitant, she had no issues with his parents whatsoever, despite all that had happened in the past. It was the house. There were so many memories she wished to forget about that house and it terrified her that she would start having the nightmares once again if she was to return.

Maybe if she told Harry and Ron about this, she'd be more inclined to accept the Malfoy's offer, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She was grateful for Draco and the fact that he hadn't pushed her into agreeing to it. She knew that he wanted her there, but she was yet to bring herself to agree to it.

* * *

It had been snowing solidly for the past 24 hours and the Hogwarts grounds were covered in a thick blanket of snow. It looked so serene, so beautiful. She had always loved snow and that hadn't changed since she had started at Hogwarts, if anything, she loved it even more.

After waking up incredibly early on a Saturday morning, Hermione had got dressed and wrapped up, deciding to go for a walk in the snow before everyone got out there and ruined it. She always had a thing about the feeling and sound of being the first person to walk through the snow, it gave her a sense of satisfaction.

Just as she was about to walk out of the front door, she felt a hand grabbing her own and she quickly turned around to see who it was. A smile formed on her lips as she saw the blonde wrapped up as much as she was ready to venture out into the cold.

"I'm done hiding, Draco." Hermione whispered softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze before stepping close to him.

"I'm not pressuring you, you know?" He murmured back in response, not tearing his eyes from hers.

"I know that. You'd never do such a thing."

"Come on, I know you're itching to get outside."

With his hand still holding onto hers, the couple made their way out into the snow that was still falling, a smile forming on the brunette's face. As the pair began to walk through the snow, Hermione snuggled into his side a little and felt his hand fall from hers only to feel it around her waist moments later.

It was a comfortable silence that filled the air around them. She knew that the silence would be disturbed as soon as others woke up and wanted to play out in the snow, so she intended on making the most of the peace and quiet with Draco.

They had been wandering around for about twenty minutes through the grounds of the school when they reached a quiet area just out of the way of where people would go. There were rocks that would be good seats and Hermione felt Draco move away from her to clear the snow from them so that the pair could sit down.

Once sat, she snuggled into his side, his arm around her waist as they sat in silence for a few minutes. They hadn't really spoken all that much since leaving the school, but she didn't mind. She wasn't someone who needed to fill every empty silence with something.

"Draco?" She murmured softly reaching for his free hand and taking it between hers. "Are you serious about me coming to yours for Christmas?"

"Of course I am. Do you want to?" He questioned, tilting his head down to look at her.

"I think so. I mean, as long as your parents really don't mind me being there."

"Hermione, they're the ones who suggested it, they're not going to mind. Like me, they regret what's happened in the past, they want to make it up to you."

* * *

A week later and she walked out of the Gryffindor Common room with Harry and Ron only to see a familiar blonde sat outside on the steps.

"What's he doing here?" Ron questioned, glaring at Draco who looked up at the three of them.

"Shut up, Ron." Hermione muttered, glaring at him for a moment before her attention turned to the blonde who had stood up. "What _are_ you doing here, Draco?"

"It's snowing." He replied simply, his eyes not leaving Hermione, causing the brunette to blush a little.

"We know, we saw it out the window." Ron retorted, still glaring at the blonde.

Turning her attention to her best friends, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the look of anger on Ron's face and confusion on Harry's. "You don't mind if I don't go to Hogsmeade with you two, do you? It's just, it's snowing."

"When has the snow ever stopped you from going to Hogsmeade before? I thought you loved the snow."

"I do love the snow, Ron. Which is precisely _why_ Draco is here." She felt the blonde's presence closer than before and she could see by the look on Harry's face that he understood what she was saying without saying it. Ron, on the other hand, his face was a mixture of confusion and anger.

"We'll see you later, Hermione." Harry said, shooting his friend a smile before nodding at Malfoy.

"See you two later." Hermione replied with a grin before turning towards the blonde and she grabbed his hand immediately before heading down the stairs with him.

Their relationship wasn't a secret anymore.

* * *

 **Please feel free to review. I would really appreciate it.**


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